Pretending
by Anonwrite
Summary: Happy wants to take a break from all the pretending, just for one night.


**Pretending**

 _Happy wants to take a break from all the pretending, just for one night._

 **Note: Since I'm not getting my need for cute, loving Quintis moments in the show, I'll just put some in a fic. There will be a companion piece to this at a later date :-)**

Happy sighed and arched her back, stretching her cramped muscles. Taking a quick glance at her watch, she noted that it was already almost eleven at night. That's why her back hurt so much, she had been crouched over working on an old engine for almost five hours. Sighing again, she propped up her chin on one of her hands, letting her mind wander.

Normally, at this time of night, she be curled up by Toby's side, laughing as he told her some stupid joke, talking to him about nonsense, or watching TV in companionable silence, as his fingers ghosted up and down her arm. Then eventually, they'd make their way to the bedroom to get ready for bed, either falling asleep quickly, with Toby's hand resting protectively over her stomach, or getting lost in slow, lazy kisses and murmurings of love.

But that was two weeks ago. Back when, even though everything was still up in the air and they were unsure of what to do next, they could pretend to have some semblance of normal in their lives, something routine that brought them closer together, that brought them calm in the midst of all the chaos.

For the past two weeks, they both had been working later, trying to occupy their minds until they got so tired they couldn't function any more. Their lives had become strained, uncomfortable, as they tiptoed around their situation when the rest of the team wasn't around. Happy would give anything to be able to go back to two weeks ago and stop the change in their lives from being set into motion.

Standing up, she tightened her ponytail and looked over to Toby's work station, where he sat, buried in piles of textbooks and journals. A small smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she watched him, intensely reading the article in front of him. Every once in awhile he'd furrow his brow and bite his bottom lip, his fingers tapping something out on whatever they were laying on at the time. Happy had to hold back a moan when his tongue darted out to wet his lips. It had been two weeks since she had felt his lips against hers, since they got lost in one another in the way that used to be so easy for them.

"Uh, Happy?" Walter's awkward voice asked, pulling her from her thoughts. He was the reason why their life has become so disrupted. Well him and their green card marriage.

She turned to him, a slight frown on her face, "Hm?"

He shifted on his feet and cast a quick glance over his shoulder to the stairs, "I, um," he cleared his throat and tried to smile, "I'm tired, so I think I'm going to-" he indicated over his shoulder with his thumb to the stairs, "I'm gonna go to bed."

Happy drew her lips into a tight line and nodded sharply, "'Kay. Night, Walt."

He shifted again uncomfortably, "Well, are you- are you going to come?"

She closed her eyes and fisted her hand. Through gritted teeth, she managed to get out, "Not yet." Slowly, she reopened her eyes and met Walter's questioning gaze, "Listen," she sighed, "I know Doc thinks this is the best way to fool the INS, us living together to learn each other's habits. But that doesn't mean we have to do everything together. I just-" she looked longingly towards Toby again, "I just want to stay up a little bit longer."

"But if we're going to collect enough data-"

"No, Walter," Happy interrupted him with more bite than she meant, holding one hand up, "Not tonight. I'm not tired, so you're going by yourself."

"Oh, okay then," he said, nodding like a bobblehead, "Well, then good night."

"Night," she mumbled, turning to walk towards Toby.

Truth was, she was exhausted, so much so that she could barely stand straight. But she couldn't sleep, not with Walter by her side and Toby on the floor below her. Everything about it was wrong. It was all wrong. The heat from being in close proximity with Walter was stifling, almost unbearable. Not like the calming, comforting heat that exuded from Toby when he got close. Walter's breathing was loud and irregular, driving her crazy all night. Unlike Toby's which was was quiet and gentle, following a soft pattern that gently lulled her to sleep. Walter, thank god, didn't pull her into his arms and gently kiss her head and neck, whispering his good night's and I love you's. He didn't hold her in his arms all night and she didn't relax into him, breathing in the scent that could only be described as uniquely him as she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. No, that's what she did with Toby, what she yearned for with Toby again. Instead, with Walter, it was like sleeping next to a board, a stiff, unmoving, awkward board. One that she'd jump away from every time they accidentally touched. One that kept her up all night with his sleep fueled mumblings about the space-time continuum or whatever else was bothering him that day.

Every night for the last two weeks, Happy would lay on her side facing Toby, hugging the edge of the bed, and try desperately to fall asleep. Minute by minute would tick by, turning into hour by hour, and she had no luck. She just couldn't fall asleep, not next to Walter. So, when she could take it no more, she'd quietly slip out of the bed and join Toby on the floor, immediately curling into his side and relaxing, laying her head on his shoulder. He'd shift, giving her more of the sleep pad. Pulling her close, he'd press a soft kiss into her hair. With a sigh, she'd let her eyes drift close, already feeling the pull of sleep.

"We shouldn't do this, Hap," he'd mumble sleepily, brushing his lips against her forehead and sliding his hand underneath the edge of her shirt to rest his fingers against her skin.

"I don't care," she would respond, gently kissing his jaw and moving her leg between his.

"Me either," he'd breath out, tightening his grip, "Love you, babe."

But Happy couldn't respond, the gentle up and down of his chest and the comfort of being surrounded by Toby, had already pulled her into unconsciousness. But after only two hours of peaceful sleep, Walter would wake them up as he began his day loudly, complaining how they won't fool the INS if she sneaks out of bed every night.

She smiled softly to herself as she thought of Walter's reaction every morning as she walked towards Toby. Neither she nor Toby cared, as long as they were wrapped up in each other, even if it was on the floor and they were still dead tired.

"Hey Doc," she called out quietly, hoping to pull him from his reading.

But it didn't work. He was too caught up in the article in front of him. She sighed softly and walked behind him, hoping he wasn't too far down the rabbit hole that she couldn't pull him back easily. Looking over his head, she couldn't help but roll her eyes when she saw he was reading yet another article on what to do to promote a healthy pregnancy. He had pulled back with his obsessive behavior around her, but she knew he was still worried. And just the fact that he had been so stressed about the pregnancy and the impending INS investigation, but had been trying to put on a brave face for her, touched her deeply, made her fall more in love with him. But still, when he was stressed, she was stressed and that wasn't good for the baby.

Happy knew she had to pull him back, help get his mind off everything that was going on in their crazy lives, even if for just one night.

"Doc, baby," she whispered close to his ear.

Other than a twitch of his hand, he still didn't respond. Tentatively she reached out and placed her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them softly. She leaned down, kissing the top of his head and started kneading out the knots she felt underneath her hands. He stiffened at the sudden, surprise contact, then relaxed back into the chair, leaning his head back against her stomach.

"Hey," she whispered, kissing the tip of ear and moving her lips to kiss his cheek gently, "Welcome back."

He closed his eyes, a relaxed smile growing on his face. "What time is it?"

Kissing his forehead, she murmured, "About eleven," before standing straight and taking a step back.

"Oh gosh," he groaned, running a hand down his face, "It's already that late? I didn't realize." Standing up, he stretched, then gave her a funny look, "Why aren't you in bed yet? I know this pregnancy has been draining your energy, you should be exhausted."

"Toby..." she warned, folding her arms across her chest.

That action drew his attention to her. Ever since he found out she was pregnant he began noticing small changes about her and now he found it hard to look away. However, after she cleared her throat, he was able to tear his gaze away.

"Right, I won't say anything." He looked around the garage, "Where's Walt?"

Happy took a step closer and ran her hand down his arm to intertwine her fingers with his. Looking up, she smirked at him, "He went to bed."

Toby furrowed his brow, "Shouldn't you be up there with him?"

She shook her head quickly, taking another step towards him, "No, not tonight. I can't," she sighed, "I can't pretend any longer, Doc. I just want to be alone with you, and we finally are, for the first time in two weeks."

He grinned down at her, "So we're alone? Like actually alone?"

"Mmhmm," she nodded, sliding her arms around his waist, "And I know we haven't had much time with each other lately, so I thought we could just be together tonight."

"I'd like that," he said with that goofy grin of his, that she couldn't help but return.

Leaning down to kiss her, he was interrupted before his lips could touch hers with a violent coughing attack, turning his face bright red from lack of oxygen.

"Hey," Happy murmured, trying to get him to breath. Reaching up, she cupped his face, running her thumbs across his cheeks, "Are you okay?"

He coughed once more and nodded. "Yeah," he rasped out, "Just a tickle in my throat. I'm fine."

She quickly got him a glass of water, which he gulped down after a murmur of thanks.

"What did you have in mind for tonight?" he asked once he was back in control, "It's getting pretty late. And I know you don't want me to harp on you, but you do need some sleep. You haven't been getting enough lately." With a gentle look on his face, he reached out and brushed the tips of his fingers across her stomach. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired, extremely tired and I miss you, but other than that, I'm feeling fine," she said with a shrug, shuffling closer to him.

His face morphed to one of love, one that she hadn't seen much since she moved in with Walter. He moved one hand to swipe a stray piece of hair out of her face. "I've missed you too, sweet pea."

Closing the distance between them, she looped her fingers in his belt loops and raised on her tiptoes, brushing her lips lightly against his. "I have an idea of what we could do," she said huskily, biting his bottom lip gently, "And we'd get some sleep...eventually."

"Oh really?" he said with a grin before fusing his lips with hers once more.

A quiet moan rose from the back of Happy's throat and she relaxed into him, pressing her body as close as she could to his. It had been too long since she had been able to be like this with Toby and it felt so good. But it wasn't enough, she wanted more. She wanted to be with him in the one way only they could be, connect with him in a way she had never thought could be so great.

She deepened the kiss while Toby slid his hand down her back and back up again under her shirt, dancing his fingers across her skin. Taking a step back, she pulled Toby with her, walking them over to the couch, her hands moving to curl into his hair, pulling his head tighter to hers. Spinning them around, Toby fell to the couch, bringing Happy down on top of him with a small grunt and a laugh. She shifted to straddle him, his loud moan filling the quiet garage as she kissed him teasingly.

Suddenly, he ripped his mouth from hers and pushed her back as another cough overtook his body. Happy quickly climbed off him and helped him to sit, gently rubbing up and down his back.

"Doc, are you sure you're okay?" she asked with concern, running her hand across his forehead to check for a fever.

He coughed a few more times and nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure I'm fine."

Happy gave him a look, not quite believing him.

He leaned over to kiss her gently again, "Hap, believe me. There's nothing wrong. And I'm not just saying that. I have you and our baby I need to look out for and, I promise, I would tell you if something was wrong."

"Okay, I trust you," she smiled nervously, rubbing her hand over his chest, something still bugging her about the whole thing, but she decided to stay quiet.

Toby laid back down on the couch with a groan, pulling her down with him. She immediately melted into him, kissing his neck softly and running her hand over his chest.

"Hap, baby," Toby said with regret, closing his eyes, "I want you, I do. But now that I'm laying down, I just don't know if I can stay awake. I'm so damn tired."

"But Toby," Happy said with a small whine, "It been two weeks."

He opened his eyes and smiled gently at her, "Trust me, I know sweet cheeks. But I can't tonight." He leaned up and kissed her quickly, "But we can snuggle all night in a comfortable place for the first time in two weeks."

"Don't say snuggle," she said with a gently eye roll, "That makes it weird."

"But it sounds like a wonderful time, doesn't it?" he prodded, gently tickling her sides.

She laughed lightly and squirmed on top of him, "Okay, okay, yes." She leaned down and kissed him with a laugh, "It sounds perfect."

"Mmmm," Toby hummed, tightening his grip on her and kissing the top of her head, "I'll tell you what, tomorrow we'll take the day off. Tell Walter we're going to get costumes for the Halloween photo shoot."

"Okay?" Happy said slowly, not opposed to spending the day with Toby, but wondering where he was going with it all.

"And after we get the costumes we need," he continued, tracing patterns on her arm, "We can go back to my place, spend the rest of the day there, alone. Would that be okay?"

She grinned down at him and nodded, "It sounds perfect."

"Then it's a plan," he said, "Now I can't stay awake any longer. I'm so sorry love, but we both need sleep." He kissed the tip of her nose and closed his eyes, "So goodnight, Hap. I love you."

She kissed his chest once, before laying her head down over his heart, surprised to hear a rattle in his chest, but decided to stay quiet. Instead, she responded with something she never knew would be so easy to say, "I love you too, Doc."

And she quickly drifted off to sleep, the steady sound of Toby's heart and the feeling of home from being in Toby's arms helping her to have the best night's sleep in two weeks.


End file.
